--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It never occurred to me that I was a…" description: "\"It never occurred to me that I was a leading man until I was 19 years old. I had been acting since I was 10, so that's nine years and 30 or 40 plays, i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/christopher-reeve-7715_acting_it-never-occurred-to-me-that-i-was-a-lea_1780979.jpg" --- # It never occurred to me that I was a leading man until I… ![“It never occurred to me that I was a leading man until I was 19 years old. I had been acting since I was 10, so that's nine years and 30 or 40 plays, in school and summer stock, professional theater, too.” quote by Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/christopher-reeve-7715_acting_it-never-occurred-to-me-that-i-was-a-lea_1780979.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/christopher-reeve-7715_acting_it-never-occurred-to-me-that-i-was-a-lea_1780979.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/christopher-reeve-7715_acting_it-never-occurred-to-me-that-i-was-a-lea_1780979.jpg) > “It never occurred to me that I was a leading man until I was 19 years old. I had been acting since I was 10, so that's nine years and 30 or 40 plays, in school and summer stock, professional theater, too.” [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He only realized his leading‑man status at 19 despite a decade of acting experience. **In simple terms:** He recognized his star potential late. Key Takeaway Self‑recognition can lag behind experience. Themes self‑awareness career identity growth acting confidence Mood introspective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - theatre auditions - career transitions - age perception Key Concepts identity formation career milestones public perception Questions to Reflect On - When did you first see your own potential? - What barriers hide our abilities? A Different Perspective Early talent may be overlooked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summer/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I started acting when I was 10, doing musical theater. I was a brunette at that time. I was always cast in all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loni-anderson/i-started-acting-when-i-was-10-doing-musical-theater-i-was-a-brunette/) [Loni Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loni-anderson/) > [I fell in love with the art of acting back when I was 10 years old, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinqua-walls/i-fell-in-love-with-the-art-of-acting-back-when-i-was-10-years-old/) [Sinqua Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinqua-walls/) > [I've been acting since I was 10. My dad was an entrepreneur, so I guess something along those lines. I wouldn't want a 9-5 job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-estes/i-ve-been-acting-since-i-was-10-my-dad-was-an-entrepreneur-so-i-guess/) [Will Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-estes/) > [I studied acting for 10 years before I went for an audition. I studied with Lee Strasberg and Actors Studio teachers, and went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-barkin/i-studied-acting-for-10-years-before-i-went-for-an-audition-i-studied/) [Ellen Barkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-barkin/) > [It's important to have a fallback and other activities that keep you interested. I started acting when I was about nine or 10 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-t-austin/it-s-important-to-have-a-fallback-and-other-activities-that-keep-you/) [Jake T. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-t-austin/) > [I've been acting since I was 10. At age 14, 15 and 16, it's difficult to find roles and to find yourself, even, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moises-arias/i-ve-been-acting-since-i-was-10-at-age-14-15-and-16-it-s-difficult-to/) [Moises Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moises-arias/) > [That's a tough question; I've been acting since I was 10. My dad was an entrepreneur, so I guess something along those lines. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-estes/that-s-a-tough-question-i-ve-been-acting-since-i-was-10-my-dad-was-an/) [Will Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-estes/) > [I started acting when I was 10.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariette-hartley/i-started-acting-when-i-was-10/) [Mariette Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariette-hartley/) > [But obviously you don't want to just be the guy who comes in and sort of spices up every movie. So yeah, definitely moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-mcbride/but-obviously-you-don-t-want-to-just-be-the-guy-who-comes-in-and-sort/) [Danny McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-mcbride/) > [It would drive me crazy if I picked roles with the goal of being a leading man. You never know what you're getting into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-plemons/it-would-drive-me-crazy-if-i-picked-roles-with-the-goal-of-being-a/) [Jesse Plemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-plemons/) > [It's weird but I've never really been the type to have fixations on the leading man actor. I've always been drawn more to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-crew/it-s-weird-but-i-ve-never-really-been-the-type-to-have-fixations-on/) [Amanda Crew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-crew/) > [Let me put it this way: if I am the leading man of the film, and the film-maker is asking me to support him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranveer-singh/let-me-put-it-this-way-if-i-am-the-leading-man-of-the-film-and-the/) [Ranveer Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranveer-singh/) > [I haven't aged into a character actor. I'm an old leading man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-granger/i-haven-t-aged-into-a-character-actor-i-m-an-old-leading-man/) Stewart Granger > [I want to be a man's man-not a kid actor or a glitzy pop star but a no-bullshit leading man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-eastwood/i-want-to-be-a-man-s-man-not-a-kid-actor-or-a-glitzy-pop-star-but-a/) [Scott Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-eastwood/) > [I don't know - the whole leading man, I don't buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pilou-asbaek/i-don-t-know-the-whole-leading-man-i-don-t-buy-it/) [Pilou Asbaek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pilou-asbaek/) ## More by Christopher Reeve > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I am optimistic. But I also know that, with time, I'm beginning to fight issues of aging as well as long-term paralysis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-am-optimistic-but-i-also-know-that-with-time-i-m-beginning-to-fight/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [“I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. The fifteen-year-old boy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-think-a-hero-is-an-ordinary-individual-who-finds-the-strength-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God, I don't know. But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-think-we-all-have-a-little-voice-inside-us-that-will-guide-us-it/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [ I'm starting a new chapter in my \[\[life\], and you have no idea how much that means. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-m-starting-a-new-chapter-in-my-life-and-you-have-no-idea-how-much/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [We live in a time when the words impossible and unsolvable are no longer part of the scientific community's vocabulary. Each day we move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/we-live-in-a-time-when-the-words-impossible-and-unsolvable-are-no/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [My father is an intellectual and physical man, which is a rather unusual combination. He's great. As he brought up me and my brothers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/my-father-is-an-intellectual-and-physical-man-which-is-a-rather/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [A hero is an ordinary person doing things in an extra ordinary way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/a-hero-is-an-ordinary-person-doing-things-in-an-extra-ordinary-way/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Living a life with meaning means spreading the word. Even if you can't move, you can have a powerful effect with what you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/living-a-life-with-meaning-means-spreading-the-word-even-if-you-can-t/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [When the first Superman movie came out, I gave dozens of interviews to promote it. The most frequent question was: What is a hero?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-gave-dozens-of-interviews-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [All the scientists who are working on solving the problem of curing paralysis say that it won't do you any good if you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/all-the-scientists-who-are-working-on-solving-the-problem-of-curing/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [It's defeatist to harp on what might have been, and yet, it's hard to resist considering what might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/it-s-defeatist-to-harp-on-what-might-have-been-and-yet-it-s-hard-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [“I have to stop this cascade of memories, or at least take them out of their drawer only for a moment, have a brief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-have-to-stop-this-cascade-of-memories-or-at-least-take-them-out-of/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [What can I do today to take a step forward?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/what-can-i-do-today-to-take-a-step-forward/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Explore all 88 Christopher Reeve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It never occurred to me that I was a leading man until I was 19 years old. 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